Sexually
abused children pay the price for Jehovah's Witnesses front to look clean and
spotless. Jehovah's Witnesses put their
reputation above the Law. This claim is made
by Kristian Molbo, chairman of a support group for former members of Jehovah's
Witnesses. In this capacity he repeatedly sees how the Witnesses out of fear
for their reputation
hide and cover up violence as well as child abuse to appear clean and spotless
without any criminal elements. “It doesn’t look good if an organization which
claims to be chosen by God has problems with violence, crime and incest,” says
Kristian Molbo.

That’s
why Jehovah's Witnesses has a rule that there must be two or three witnesses
in each case if the acc user
is to be believed. Such a rule is unfortunately favoring the ab user
and completely overlooks the victim’s need
for help, he explains.

The last
week, Ekstra Bladet has published several instances where the Jehovah leaders
have neglected to report sexual abuse of children. If a Jehovah's Witness commit
violence or other crimes, the congregation appoints a committee of elders to
deals with the problem and gives biblical reprimands instead of going to the
police. This way they create a state within a state.

No
Brother Against Brother

The
elders look upon it as thei r r esponsibility
to solve problems in the congregation. They put themselves above the worldly
authorities. They are of the opinion that they are chosen by God and thus more
competent to deal with such matters. The whole thing originates with a Bible
text about brothers ought not to bring other brothers in the congregation into
court. This is taken very serious and is a primary reason for not accusing anyone
in the congregation in worldly courts, says Kristian Molbo.

Not
Educated

His claims
are supported by the observations of current elder Ekstra Bladet spoke to a
few years ago, and he stated that it is the rule rather then exception not to
report violence and incest. “We have done this to stay loyal to the organization,”
the elder, who wishes to be anonymous, said. “My private attitude is that we
have a duty to report such matters to the proper authorities and acknowledge
that we are not educated to deal with these very complicated cases. Such a view
has been strongly opposed but today more and more are supporting it.”

Jehovah’s
Almighty Pyramid

Jehovah's
Witnesses organization has a very hierarchic structure which requires unquestioned
loyalty from its members. The members can be persuaded to do anything if the
organization tells them it is supported in the Bible. This was told to Ekstra
Bladet by a present Elder. He wishes to remain anonymous because of his future
in the congregation. This loyalty is at the expense of the individuals in the
organization. “The loyalty towards the congregation and the headquarters in
New York
is so strong that it makes you blind. It causes people to act in a way they
would normally never do.”

Demand
for Loyalty

The
Governing Body based in Brooklyn New
York at the world headquarters of Jehovah's
Witnesses demand absolute loyalty. The members of the Governing Body claims
to be the only channel through which worship of God is possible. To oppose them
is equal to opposing God in the eyes of the Witnesses. This gives them enormous
power over the 6 million members, says the Elder. The Governing Body claims
with reference to a text in the Gospel of Matthew
to have authority over all Jehovah's Witnesses.
It is a psychological mechanism similar to the ones found in all totalitarian
systems both within religion and politics.

Black
and White

Jehovah's
Witnesses are deciding abuse cases with reference to Bible texts. This is from
a 1995 issue of the Watchtower “Comfort for Those With a “St rick
en Spirit”

“Experience
shows that the sufferer is helped if he can rely on the ‘power of the Lord and
the mightiness of his strength,’ putting on “the complete suit of armor from
God.”

“Wisely,
Solomon said: “Do not go forth to conduct a legal case hastily.” ( Proverbs
25:8) If there is some valid reason to suspect that the alleged perpetrator
is still abusing children, a warning may have to be given. The congregation
elders can help in such a case. Otherwise, take your time. Eventually, you may
be content to let the matter drop.”

“If
the elders are approached by a member of the congregation who is experiencing
flashbacks or “repressed memories” of child abuse, two of them are usually assigned
to help. These elders should kindly encourage the afflicted one to focus for
the time being on coping with the emotional distress. The names of any “remembered”
ab user s
should be kept in strict confidence.”

“If
the accusation is denied, the elders should explain to the accuser
that nothing more can be done in a judicial
way. And the congregation will continue to view the one accused as an innocent
person. The Bible says that there must be two or three witnesses before judicial
action can be taken. (2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy
5:19) Even if more than one person “remembers” abuse by the same individual,
the nature of these recalls is just too uncertain to base judicial decisions
on them without other supporting evidence.”

NORMALLY
politician’s pop up like a jack in the box, when the media raises issues which
require political action and intervention. This is however not happening in
the case of Jehovah's Witnesses sexual abuse of children.

We
have in this newspaper the last week published several cases where the sect
has neglected to report crimes among
their members. The Witness leaders use strange reasoning from the Bible to pressure
their members and in particular the children to stay away from the authorities.
As a result the children have to endure being molested by their pedophiles.

THIS
IS SO SICK, it cries out to heaven. But the cries evidently make no impression
upon the Danish P arliament,
where the members drag their feet in this case. It must be sheer hell to be
born from parents that are Jehovah's Witnesses, because of the much screwed
up thinking that goes on in that organization. But growing up being miserable
is made more cruel by adults which instead of protecting the defenseless chooses
to almost crimina liz e
the children that has been victims of sexual abuse. The sect actually demands
that there should be two or three witnesses to the rape of a child, before they
can intervene. How often is the crime of rape committed in public? Hardly ever.

AND
WHILE the politicians are still doing nothing all of us taxpayers participate
in pouring millions of dollars down into the already bulging money vault of
the Witnesses. For his tori cal
reasons the sect is a registered religious society and therefore enjoys full
tax-exemption. This arrangement Jehovah's Witnesses use to grant each other
subsidies which are tax deductible. The money is used to build Kingdom Halls
all over the country, so investment in b rick
s is very safe today.

Satan’s Witnesses
hide their eyes regarding serious sexual abuse of children are thus rewarded
with money by the Danish State month after month, year after year. This is possible
because our lawmakers have made it possible that our money can roll into the
greedy sect’s money vault.

When
will the Danish P arliament
wake up and start doing something about this sick sect?

-
But it has to be up to the prosecutors office to prove it, says Radical Niels
Helveg Petersen

Jehovah's
Witnesses balance on the edge of the Constitution. This is the opinion of Niels
Helveg Petersen
spokesman for Church politics of the Radical Party.

- It is my
immediate understanding that Jehovah's Witnesses attitude toward criminal acts
like sexual abuse of children is in violation of the Constitutions Article 67.

-
In my opinion it is the duty of the prosecutors office to investigate and eventually
prove this before we can strip them of their privileges as a registered church,
says Niels Helveg Petersen.

Ekstra
Bladet has through the last weeks described how Jehovah's Witnesses request
their members not to report criminal offences among
them include sexual abuse of children.

Constitution
Article 67 states:

’Citizens have the right to unite in congregations
to worship God in a accor dan ce
with their conviction, it is however under the condition that their teachings
or actions do not violate moral conduct and public order.’

Demands
Answer from Minister

-
If it can be established by a court that Jehovah's Witnesses cover up criminal
acts we have to consider whether we should allow them to continue their status
as a registered church, says Niels Helveg P etersen.

The spokesman
of the Social Democrats, Karen Klint agrees that Jehovah's Witnesses should
be investigated:

- I would
like a political dialogue about the legality of misinterpreting the scriptures
like Jehovah's Witnesses do when they use the Bible as an excuse to carry out
their own procedures and cover up criminal acts, says Karen Klint.

She now
demands that the Minister of the Church, Tove Fergo (V) answers what possibilities
there are of imposing sanctions on churches which violates common law and order
and that uses Bible texts to cover up criminal acts.

The two
above spokesmen in church policies like their colleagues, Knud Erik Kirkegaard
(K) and Jesper Langballe (DF) do urge Jehovah's Witnesses to report all criminal
activity, so that State prosecutors can decide if the movement has a problem
regarding the Constitution.

FERGO
PROTECT
THE WITNESSES

The
minister of Churches Tove Fergo (V) protects Jehovah's Witnesses as a registered
church with all the privileges attached –
among
others tax exemption. It is her opinion that there isn’t any reason fo r
r emoving the church’s privileges even though
it is clear that Jehovah's Witnesses do carry out their own investigations and
neglect to report sexual abuse of children:

- It is
without doubt only a few in the church that carries out criminal acts and sexually
abuse children and I am of the opinion that we shouldn’t punish all Jehovah's
Witnesses which are not directly involved in such matters by removing the church’s
tax, or other privileges from them.

-
It is possible that certain illegal activities goes on amon
g the Witnesses but without a court decision
I am as a Minister not free to take any steps towards sanctions, says the Church
Minister.

SHORT
SUMMARY OF THE CASE

Ekstra Bladet
has through the last weeks published plenty of articles which prove how Jehovah's
Witnesses with reference to the Bible encourage their members to neglect reporting
criminal acts, including sexual abuse of children.

Former and
current members of Jehovah's Witnesses has told us about an organization which
carries out their own investigations and protects people which carries out violence
and abuse, in order to protect the reputation of the organization.

This closed
organization is a registered church and receives extensive state support including
tax exemption.